Canada
HelpAge Canada
Established in 1975, HelpAge Canada is a non-denominational, non-profit national and international development organisation. It is the only registered charity in Canada dedicated to supporting and promoting older people’s rights in Canada and the developing world.
Nationally, they support disadvantaged older people by working with a number of national and local organisations. Internationally, they collaborate with other NGOs to support programmes in 11 countries worldwide. The focus is on healthcare, food aid, emergency assistance, training and sponsorship.
HelpAge Canada supports eyecare for older people in India, community development and humanitarian assistance in Haiti and livelihoods programmes in areas affected by HIV and AIDS in Kenya.
All international programmes are coordinated through local charitable organisations, including the Oblate missionaries, the Salvation Army and the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
HelpAge Canada has been working with HelpAge International since 1983 and became a HelpAge global network member in 2004.
Mexico
AVU
AVU is an innovation hub, created in 2017, that seeks to combat, with scalable and sustainable solutions, age discrimination, depression, and isolation of older people, while maintaining an intergenerational approach. There are two ways in which AVU works with older people: through the volunteer program and senior entrepreneurship, and through direct care where older men and women use AVU’s programs (i.e. digital literacy, telecare, delivery of basic necessities, workshops, counselling, and recreational activities). AVU became a HelpAge network member in 2022.
Centro Mexicano Alzheimer AC
The Centro Mexicano Alzheimer is a non-profit institution founded in 2018 to provide diagnosis and treatment to people with some type of dementia, train family members, caregivers and health personnel and inform and investigate on dementias.
The Centro Mexicano Alzheimer works to support older people, ensuring compliance with their rights, having access to online therapies, researching and reporting on dementias and influencing public policies. The center has a care model that allows older people in Latin America to use digital media and have timely access to therapies, both for the sick and for their families.
The Centro Mexicano Alzheimer AC became a HelpAge network member in 2022.
Rhizome Center for Migrants
The Rhizome Center for Migrants is a NGO based in Texas, U.S.A.. It provides legal representation and counselling to at-risk deported migrants at their shelter in Guadalajara, Mexico, working in partnership with Casa Scalabrini. The organisation was the first legal aid clinic at the Mexico-United States border and focuses on providing post-deportation legal services to the returned community.
The Rhizome Center for Migrants works in a number of different areas. It delivers community programmes, media campaigns and digital outreach on behalf of older people and provides legal support and advocacy, focusing on post-deportation legal aid assistance to returned migrants. It also runs educational programmes aimed at raising awareness about U.S.A.-Mexico border politics, immigration policies and impact; and capacity building that supports local non-profit organisations serving deportees by sharing resources, knowledge and expertise.
The Center delivers advocacy campaigns and humanitarian support for older people. It provides legal services through its Mexico project, prioritising legal aid for older people who have been living between 10 to 20 years in the U.S.A.. It also brings issues around forced repatriation and the importance of guaranteeing minimum protection mechanisms for the well-being of older people to the public debate, focusing on the exclusion of older undocumented Mexicans from receiving Social Security benefits.
The Rhizome Center for Migrants became a HelpAge global network member in January 2020.
United States of America
American Association of Retired Persons
Founded in 1958, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is a non-profit, non-partisan organisation of 40 million members that supports people aged 50 and over to improve the quality of their lives.
AARP’s mission is “to enhance the quality of life for all as we age”, to lead social change and deliver value to their members through information and public services. AARP conducts research on ageing issues and publishes major reports on issues affecting older people. Their international programme exchanges ideas and finds solutions to achieving older people’s goals of dignity and purpose.
AARP and HelpAge International collaborate on various projects to support older people in developing countries. They have improved access to healthcare in Bolivia and Tanzania and increased the number of people receiving pensions in Bangladesh.
AARP has been working with HelpAge International since 1991 and became a HelpAge global network member in 2004.
HelpAge USA
Established in 2009, HelpAge USA is a national non-profit and international development organiation.
It is the only registered charity in the U.S. dedicated to supporting and promoting older people’s rights and wellbeing in the U.S. and in low-and middle-income countries. HelpAge USA’s work is concentrated in three areas: research and thought leadership, advocacy, and project implementation. HelpAge USA is committed to inclusivity and raising the voices of older people, challenging common myths, and helping older people come together to create real change.
HelpAge USA became a member of the HelpAge global network in 2009.